Self-registering electrically-operated sectional target



PATENTED MAR 13, 1906.

I y I 0.5251238. I SELFRBGISTERINQ BLEGTRIGALLY OPERATED SBOTIONAI] TARGET.

' APPLICATION FILED $33.6, 190 4.

2 sn'nms-snnnr 2.

- 45 dlvide it potentially into sect1ons,'theEdivi- 1 "UNIT D STATES PATENT orrron.

GEORGE ARMSTRONG PETERS,- OF'TORONTO, CANADA. I SELF-{REGISTERING ELEQTRI LLY-OPER TED sEcTloNAL TARGET Application file? April 5, 1904. swarm. 201,779.

"To aJZZ' whom itmay concern);

Be it known that I, GEORGE ARMSTRONG.

Pn'rnns, physician; of the city of Toronto,- in

' the county of York, in the Province of. On-

, 5 tario, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Self Registering Electrically- Operated Sectional Targets, of which the followin is the specification.

Q My invention re ates to improvements in self-registering electrically-o erated sectional targets, application for Whic -Was filed 1n the Umted States Patent Ofiice on the 26thof pTlate partially broken away; the rocking March, 1903, under Serial No. 149,746.

The present invention is designed to sim- 115 plify and cheapen the construction of the target, make it .more durable and less liable to get out oforder, insure accuracy of registra- -tion, and secure a construction m which all portions of theoperating mechanism will be entirely shielded. Provision is made whereby the operating mechanism is capable of being adjusted for different ranges and for different weights and velocities of ammunition; further,t0 produce a challenge .-mechanism -.which' will test accurately every portion of the operating andregistering mechanism.

It consists of a target made of a sin le plate of "metal divided on the back surface y radial grooves into a central circle and a se-- 0 ries of arc shaped concentrlcally -.arranged potential sections corresponding to the individual-units of the operating mechanism at the back of the target plate; a rocking'frame consisting of rocking shafts journaled in bearings on the main frame, to which shafts are attached; at each end rocking arms ivotally connected at their front endsto t e top' and bottom corners of'the tar et-plate' and connecting together :by vertical 4o rods at their rear extremities; of hammers pivotally sup orted in suitable bearings on a supporting-p ate at the back of the target plate .designed to rest with their front endsagainst, the back of the target-plate, so :;as to .sion of the target-plate into the aforesai sections being set up by the impact of the ullet upon any articular area responding? to any iplalrticular ammer of corresponding contact- 56 gers for the hammers suitably insulated from the supporting-platevof the hammers;

of an annunclator an electrical connections between suchcontact-fingers and the several registeringsections of the annunciator corre- Specification of Letters Patent.

connectings Patented March 13,1906.

sponding to the potential sections of the target, and of a lever connected'to the rocking ame and means for adjustingsuch lever so as to vary theposition of the target-plate, and consequently the an ularrelation of the hammers to-the same an to the contact-fingers, While maintaining the hammers in the same relative position at their pointsof rest .onthe potential sections; ashereinafter more particularly explained.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the target,

showmg the-target plate and supporting ame and the annunciator, to which thetarget is electrically connected, diagrammatically; Fig. 2 'is a view back of the targetplate, showing the sections formed vby the,

grooves. Fig. 3, is an enlarged vertical section of a portion of the target, showing the construction of the hammers and supports,

the contact-s rings, and insulating-plugs and ticular section.

In the drawings like characters of refer-i ence indicate corresponding parts in each'figure. I

.A is the target-plate, the front surface of centrically arranged to the circular. section or space a 2, 3, 4, and 5 are annular grooves, and 2, 3, and 4' are radial grooves by which the sections a a and o, are formed, the' surface of s such sections bemg flush with the surfaceof the back of the plate. In Fig. 3 these grooves are shown in section. The object of these rooves isto limit the area over which any lndividual hammer will'respond to an impact upon the front of the target-plate, and the rinciple on which this is accomplished is lllustrated in Fig. 3 by thedotted lines shown as radiating from the point of impact ofthe .bullet, since it is seen in that figure that the grooves intercept a large number of the lines of force before they reach the hammers rest.-

ing against the sections ad acent to that upon which the impact is received.

B is the main frame of the target, support-" ing the rocking frame, from which is suspend ed the target-plate A, and also supportin the back plate I, to which thehammers J an the registering mechanisms associated therewith are attached. This plate I is situated in the main frame B in a position directlybehind the target-plate A at such a distance that the ends of the hammers rest 'at an angle against its posterior surface at which the hammer will be caused to move upwardly upon the impact taking place. The rockingfiame is composed of two rocking shafts C and C, which pass horizontally through bearings b and b on theuprights' of the main frame in positions toward the upper and lower extremities of the target-plate A. To each end of each rocking shaft are attached rocking arms D and D. These are firmly securedto the rocking shafts C C. The front ends of these rocking arms are pivotally attached to the back part of the target-plate A, so that the latter is suspended from them. The length of these arms from the center of the rocking shaft to'the pivotal center, by

which they are joined tothe target-plate, is the same as the hammers from their pivots to their anterior extremities, where they rest against the targeteplate. These arms also project rearwardly and are joined together at a distance corresponding to the lengtli'of the anterior arms by vertical connecting-rods 8. A lever E, attached to one of the rocking shafts, is used to raise and lower the target-plate A through the action of the rocking frame just described; At a suitable distance behind the main frame of the target a quadrant or curved bar F is attached firmly to the main frame, and the lever E is located adjacent to the bar F and is surface.

designed to have upward and downward movement.

f is an adjustable stop attached to the quadrant or curved bar F in such a way that it limits the upward movement of the lever E. The target-plate A is designed to be of such a weight that the lever E will remain in contact with the stop J.

G is a cord or wire rope attached to the lever E and passing over a pulley afiixed to the lower portion of the main frame of the target in such a manner that when a pull is made upon the cord the lever E is drawn downward, so that the rocking frame operates in such a way as to raise the target-plate A, and with it the hammers resting'against the back The cord G, connected with the lever E, is designed to pass to any such position as may be convenient and may be attached to any lever H coacting with any suitable quadrant h and stop it.

The hammers J are disposed upon the back plate I in such positions as to respond to the number of sections or spheres of influence which the target-plate A isdesigned to have and may be one or more in number, as may be required. Each hammer occupies and passes through a slot 1' in the plate I and is supported by a pivot passing .through the lugs which are situated one on either side of each slot.

7" is a metal sleeve passing horizontally through the back plate I and inclosing an insulating-plug 9". This sleeve forms a portion of the bracket j in which the hammers J are pivoted, or may be formed by drilling a hole through the plate and from a projection cast upon its posterior-surface.

J is a bolt passing through the insulating plug j and threaded at its rear end, where it projects beyond the lug, so as to support the contact-finger J, ield in place by a nut J K represents the wire passing from the end of the insulating-plug back to the annunciator L, and of course there is a separate wire for each hammer and contact-finger. X is a thumb-nut which holds the wire in position, and K is a common return-wire attached to the back plate or main frame of the target, through which the circuit back to the annunciator is completed for each hammer. The battery M is situated upon this wire.

The hammer J is provided with a shoulder J and by. coming in contact with the back plate above the slot is designed to limit the backward movement of the hammer, and J is the spur of the hammer J, which projects through the slot 6 in the plate I and is designed to be brought into electric contact with the finger J when the hammer J is driven back by the impact of the bullet on the front of the target-plate A. The angle at which the spur is formed upon the hammer is such as will iimit the forward-and-downward movement of the hammer J by coming in contact with the posterior surface of the back plate I above the slot. It is thus apparent that the movements of the hammer J are limited by the shoulder 1' on the one hand, and the spur f, on the other, thus insuring that the hammer can never be driven so far back that its own weight will not restore it to its position against the back of the target-plate and also insuring that it will not fall forward to the horizontal nor, indeed, beyond a certain predetermined angle. The object of the latter limitation is to provide that the hammer J can never approach so" near the horizontal as to be incapable ofbeing driven back-ward by a sufficiently heavy impact and also to provide that the targetplate A may be removed from the front of the rocking frame at any time and may again be placed in position or replaced by another plate without danger that the rocking frame will not bring the target-plate in position against the hammer. It IS necessary that ICC - "if t, 's

E so t at its rocking arms are the rocking arms of the rocking frame should occupy the same angle with reference to the tar et; late that thehammers occu y, and

e done it-isobvious that-[w en the rockin frame is'lowered by raisin the lever orizontal the targetlate will rest upon asupport on the main ame, and when in that position none of the hammers will touch the posterior surface of the target-plate. If the lever E be raised still higher, the hooks on the anterior ends of the rockin arms D and D will become disengaged om the pivots on the backs of the target-plate, and the latter may then be lifted off.

- The target may be" adjusted for different 'ranges or for different weights of ammunition by the movement of the lever E, controlled by the stop 7, in this manner: "If the lever E be depressed, the target-plate A is carried b a rotary movement upward and backwar -mers J backward, so that they lie in a posi- Thus as regards the impact of the bullet the ham- 'mers will respond to a lighter impact and,

tion closer to thecontact-finger j.

moreover, a shorter movementwill be required to complete the circuit through thewires K- and K back to the annunciator L.

In this manner'the same target without any alteration otherthan' the adjustment of the rocking frame'by means-of the lever E can be made available for difierent ranges and different veloclties and weights of ammunition.

The challenge of the target'is-efiected simply by a contlnual movement, as above de-,

scribed, for the adjustment of the target,

- since it is. obvious that if the lever E be" depressed sufiiciently the spurs 7' of the hammer-J will each and all be brou ht into electric contact with'the fin ers J, t us completiing the circuit .of each am ner back to the annunciator L and causingeach' drop on the 'annunciator-to operate. .11? the lever E be now released by discontinuing the pull on the l cord G, the tar e t-plate A will return its own Wei ht to t e positionto which it is 11ma with the-contact-fingers. If all the dr ited by t e stop and the hammers also acting by gravity will return with the tar etplate to their original positions, and t us reak the circuits completed by their spurs olps on the annunciator operate'when this ch e'nge is made, it proves thatall the circuits are complete, and if on the restoring a paratus oft e annunciator being operate it proves that all the circuits have been all the drops are restored to the r normal. poslt ons broken, and consequently all the hammers are in working position'against the targetplate. If, however, when the challenge mechamsm is operated by drawing down the lever E any of the drops on the annunciator should fail to fall, this-will show that some portion of the operating or registering mechanism is out of order and re uires readjustment. Again, if all the drops should fall and on operating the restoring mechanism of the annunciator the drops were found to be not all capable of; being restored it would prove that some of the hammers had remamed with their spurs in contact with the contactfiner J, or, in other words, had failed to fall ack to their positions of rest against the operatin and registeringmechanism.

I What claim as my invention is- -1 In a self-registering electrically-operated sectional target, an integral target or tar-' get-plate havin a series of sections forming distinct otential areas of influence on the back of tihe plate, whereby the lines of force caused by the impact of the bullet on the face of the target are confined in proximity to the point of impact ofthe bullet as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a self-registering electrically-o erated sectional target, a target or target p ate having a series of sections forming distinct potential areas. of'infiuence formed on the ack of-the lateby grooves in theplate whereby the ines of force caused by the impact of the bullet on the face of the target are confine-d in proximity to the point .of impact of the bullet as and for the purposes ecified- 3. In a self-registering electrica y-o erated sectional tar et, a target or target-p ate having on the bee of the target opposite the bulls eye on the face a circular central-section ofcorresponding size to the bull and forminga distinct potential area-of'infiuence, and a series of rings of arc-shape sections concentric tothe central section, each forming a distinct-potential area of influence such central section and the remaining sections being formed by circular and radia grooves made in the back face of the target as and for the purpose specified. e v

4. In a self-registering electrically-operated sectional target, in combination a target or target-plate having a series of sections forme the plate, whereby the lines of force caused by the impact of the bullet on the face of the target are'confinied in proximity to the point of'impactof the bullet, an annunciator hav-- ing a corresponding number of sections and drops to the sectlons formed at the back of the target-plate and electrical connections from the corresponding sections on the back ofthe target tojthe corresponding sections .of

on the back of the plate by grooves in back of the targetlate A; Thus a perfect challenge may be e ected of every part oithe' each hammer is pivoted, an insulating-plug support for the hammers, hammers pivoted' on same and designed to normally rest on the corresponding sections in the target-plate extending through slots in the supportingplate and having rear spurs, a sleeve for each hammer extending through an opening in the plate and provided with a bracket on which extending through the sleeve, spring contactfingers secured to the plug and with which the spur of the hammer is designed to contact when the hammer is thrown upwardly by the impact of the bullet on the face of the section, and electrical connections from the finger to the annunciator as and for the purpose specified.

6. In a self-registering electrically-operated sectional target, the combination with the su porting-plate and hammers of the target-p ate having the integral and independent sectional back surfaces and means for supporting and imparting movement to the target -plate, so that it may be brought nearer to or farther from the supportingplate without altering the position of the hammers on the plate as and for the purpose specified.

7. In a self-registering electrically-operated sectional target, the combination with the supporting-plate and pivoted hammers, of the target-plate having the integral and independent sectional back surfaces, the rock-shafts journaled in suitable bearin s, the rocking arms on the rock-shafts pivotal ly connected to the targetplate at radial distances from the center of the rock-shafts corresponding to the radii of the hammers from their center, and means for turning the rockshafts so as to hold the target-plate parallel to the supporting-plate of the hammers and at a predetermined distance from the same as and for the purpose specified.

8. In a self-registering electricallyoperated sectional target, the combination with the supporting-plate and pivoted hammers, of the target-plate having the integral and independent sectional back surfaces, the rockshafts journaled in suitable bearings, the rocking arms on the rock-shafts pivotally connected to the targetplate at radial distances from the center of the rock-shafts corresponding to the radii of the hammers from their center, bars connecting the rear ends of the rocking arms and a lever secured to one of the rock-shafts as and for the purpose specified;

9. In a self-registering electrically-operated sectional target, the combination with the supporting-plate and pivoted hammers, of the target-plate having the integral and independent sectional back surfaces, the rock-shafts journaled in suitable bearin s, the rocking arms on the rock-shafts pivotaIly connected to the target-plate at radial distances from the center of the rock-shafts corresponding to the radii of the hammers from their center, bars connecting the rear ends of the rocking arms and a lever secured to one of the rock-shafts, and an adjustable stop designed to hold the lever in any predeteriipiged position as and for the purpose speci- 10. In a self-registering electrically-operated sectional target, the combination with the supporting-plate and pivoted hammers, of the target-plate having the integral and independent sectional back surface, the rockshafts journaled in suitable bearings, the rocking arms on the rock-shafts pivotally connected to the target-plate at radial distances from the center of the rock-shafts corresponding to the radii of the hammers from their center, an annunciator having corresponding sections and drops to the sections at the back of the target-plate, electrical connections from the hammers to the annunciator having their circuits normally broken and means for throwing the target-plate toward the supporting-plate for the hammers, so that all the hammers simultaneously complete the circuit to the annunciator and cause the drops to fall as and for the purpose specified.

11. In a self-registering electrically-open ated sectional target, the combination with the supporting-plate and pivoted hammers, of the target-plate having the integral and independent sectional back surfaces, the rock-shafts journaled in suitable bearin s, the rocking arms on the rock-shafts pivotai ly connected to the target-plate at radial distances from the center of the rock-shafts corresponding to the radii of the hammers from their center, an annunciator having corresponding sections and drops to the sections at the back of the target-plate, electrical connections from the hammers to the annunciator having their circuits normally broken, connecting means for the rocking arms, a lever secured to a rockshaft, a coacting lever placed a suitable distance from the target and a cord connecting such levers and a suitable stop 'to limit the movement of either lever as and for the purpose specified.

12. In a self-registering electrically-operated target, the combination with the su porting-plate vertically disposed and tie hammers, and target-plate vertically disposed, of means for varying the distance, be-

tween the supporting-plate and thetargetplate, as and or the purpose specified. 13. In a self registermg electricallyeoper- 5 atedtarget, the combination with the su orting -plate vertically disposed, aud t e am'mers, and targetplate vertically disposed, of means 'for arying the distance be- I 13.3mm, M. MGLAREN. 

